Improvement in postal cards



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P. Wy BROOKS. Postal-Gard.

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N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHGGRAFMER, WASHINGTON. D. C,

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' F. W. BROOKS.

Postal-Gard.

No. 203,409. Patented May 7,1878.

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WITNESSES Attorneys..

N.FETEHS. PHOTO-.LITHOGRAPNER wAsmNGYON. D C.y

UNITED STATES PATENT 'Ont-ron.

FRANKLIN w. BROOKS, OF NRW YORK, N. Y.'

IMPROVEMENT IN POSTAL CARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 203,409, dated May 7, 1878, application filed March 18, 187e.

complish the general result above stated, and

also certain important results never before accomplished, namely: first, the provision of a full-sized address-blank and a fu1lsized message-blank for each writer without departing from the fundamental characteristic of postal cards, the message in all cases to be on the exposed back of the-card; second, the combination of two complete cards, each to bear its appropriate address, postmark, and message, so that the party receiving either will be furnished with a legalvoucher, without departing from said fundamental characteristic of postal cards; third, the inclosureof one postal cardwithin another for the purpose of obtaining a reply, with provision forreadily inspecting the contents, and so that both surfacesof the reply card are protected from becoming soiled Or greasy by handling. Any attempt.

to inclose writing or other matter would consequently be detected at once, and the replycard is delivered with clean writing-surfaces.

My said invention consists in the combinasion of a double postal card folded at one edge, for the rst message, and an inclosed replycard, with or without a removable edge having tearing -perforations, so arranged as to simultaneously disclose and sever said replycard, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figures l and 2 of the accompanying drawing are face views of the blanks of a reply postal cardillustratingthis invention, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view'of the said postal card as in use. Fig. 4 is a face view of the single blank of another form of reply postal card illustrating the same invention, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the product of said blank as in use.` Figs. 6 and 7 are end views of the two parts as separated by the party who is to reply. Figs. la 2a, Src., are back views on a smaller scale of that which is shown in the respective figures correspondingly numbered. Fig. 8 is a face view of a blank, and Fig. 9 a perspective view of its product, illustrating another modication ofthe said invention. Fig. l0 is a face view of a blank', and Fig..l1

a perspective view of its product, illustrating still another modification.

ing parts in the several gures.

In a preferred forni this improved postal card is designed to be made fromtwo blanks, Figs. l and 2, of the prescribed length from end to end, and the rst of twice the prescribed width from top to bottom. This rst blank, Fig. 1, which may consist of thin paper, is printed, on the lower half of its face, with the Like letters of reference indicate correspond- 'stamp and other matter which is to appear on the `face of the product, including a line at the bottom reading Tear off this edge and write reply on inclosed card,77 or tothis effect. The second blank, Fig. 2, is a card sufficiently stiff to be handled readily, and is of one-half' the width of the iirst blank om' top to bottom,

and is printed correspondingly with the lower half of the first blank, excepting Isaid last line. The flrst blank, being folded face Out- Ward on a central line, z, Fig. l, constitutes what I term the double card'77 A, and

the second blank, Fig. 2, constitutes the replycard B. The latter is inclosed in the former, and they are pasted together or otherwise united at the lower edge, and perforated immediately above the composite edge C thus formed, as indicated by dotted lines y 5v. The knife.- cut form of perforations represented in Fig. 3 is Apreferred as leaving a smoother edge than the ordinary round perforations, The cards are next trimmed and counted, and the whole process can be readily carried out by automatic machinery, and consequently with the requisite cheapness.

Fig.3 shows the face and one end of the product `as it appears when delivered `to the party who is to reply.

Fig. 3a shows the exposed back bearing the message. This message-space of the `double- Vcard, A is represented by w in Figs. 1 and 6 The other side of said card A is blank, as represented in Fig. la, ybut is not designed to receive writing, and is incapable of such use Without separating the cemented edges, while the open ends of the product provide for inspecting the interior with'the\utmost facility.

The reply-card B has an ample messagespace, v, on its back, being in all essential particulars an ordinary single postal card when severed from the double card A, as represented by Fig. 7; and this separation of the said reply-card is accomplished simultaneouslyiwith its disclosure by means of the perforations y x, the solid composite edge O below these perforations in the product being torn off, according to the directions thereon, by the party who is to reply. This gives said party, as illustrated by Figs. 6 and 7, the message received, with .its address and postmark all on one piece of paper,.for his file, and a complete postal card, B, on which to reply, the latter furnishing the original sender with a like complete voucher when it is returned to him. At the same time the message is always exposed, and the card is as convenient to handle as an ordinary single card.

` Figs. 4, 4a, 5, 5ad illustrate a modification of the invention above described. The separated cards are or may be precisely the same as those of the first product, except as regards relative thickness or weight of paper, as illustrated by Figs. 6 and 7. A single bla'nk is employed in this modification, with two foldlines, z2 z2", as indicated, and with the face of the reply-card B2 printed at top. This part of the blank is rst folded over on the line z2, face outward. f The part A2 is then folded back on the line z2", so as to cover B2, and the printed outer edge isgummed down. The whole is then perforated and trimmed, and it is used precisely the same as the first form, with the same advantages, excepting the use of thin paper for the double card A.

' l The modification illustrated by Figs. 8, 9

consists in omitting any edge C C2 to be torn off in the operation of disclosing and detaching the reply-card B3, and in forming the rows of perforations ya w3 so that they define folds as well as facilitate separating the reply-card, and so that they are formed in the flat blank. The blank is or may be otherwise precisely similar to the blank A2 B2, (shown in Figs. 4, 49,) except as shortened by the omission of the stock between the adjacent lines m2 y2 in Fig. 4.

A narrowT iiap, u, at the bottom of the double card A3, is pasted or gummed down upon the back of said card to seal it, as represented in Fig. 9, and the reply-card B3 is disclosed and severed by inserting a pen-knife blade or the like between the reply-card and the back of the double card, and drawing it along so as to cut through the perforations x3 g3. The

printed directions at the lower edge of the double card should consequently be changed to read Open at this edge and write reply on nclosed card,7 or to this effect.

The separated cards present substantially the same appearance in end view as represented by Figs. 6 and 7, and the same general advantages are retained, excepting the use of thin paper and provision for separating the cards by tearing o the edge at which they are united.

The modification represented by Figs. 10 and l1 consists in uniting the blanks of a double card, A, and a reply-card, B4, at one end of. the latter. This leaves both the longitudinal edges of the reply-card smooth, which is important to facilitate handling it in the postofices. The fold-line 24 between the two parts of the blank is perforated, as in the last previous modification. The card B4 is folded face outward on the back of leaf w1 of the card A4, and the latter is folded face outward, so as to inclose the former. The two lower edges of the double card are then pasted together or otherwise united, and then perforated to form a detachable edge, O4. By tearing off this edge the reply-card is exposed, and the replycard can then be torn oif at the perforations x4. The general advantages of the improved card manufactured according to this last modification are the same as those of the card shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

The employment of the common round per-` forations is illustrated by Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11. Either form may be employed in all the modifications, and the details of lettering, color and quality of paper, mode of fastening, Snc., will vary according to the demands of the postofce authorities.

In the rst form of the improved card, Figs. l to 3, inclusive, the perforation of the inclosed card may preferably be omitted, so as to cause it to preserve smooth edges, the strips of paper which remain attached to the reply-card being unobjectionable as projections, owing to their thinness, while they distinguish said card from an ordinary single card.

The following is what I claim as new and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, namely:

1. A double postal card with al fold at one edge, and with a reply-card inclosed within said double card, each card being adapted to carry a full-sized message, and with the message of each card permanently connected with its address and postmark. v

2. A double postal card with a fold at one edge, and with a reply-card inclosed within said double card and united therewith at one edge, this edge being perforated so that by tearing it off the inclosed card will be simultaneously disclosed and severed, as herein specified. Y FRANKLIN W. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

IsIDoR GRAYHEAD, l SPENCER L. HILLIER, J As. L. EWIN. 

